


Dinner with the Commander

by bongbingbong



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, although they're not the main characters, self indulgent self and friend insert alert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:08:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24305653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bongbingbong/pseuds/bongbingbong
Summary: Commander Sisko is having a potluck dinner with all the senior staff tonight, and for some reason Julian Bashir is really upset about it. Can his friends figure out why?
Comments: 13
Kudos: 27
Collections: Deep Space Discord Literary Universe





	Dinner with the Commander

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a silly throwaway comment Siddig El Fadil made the other day. Featuring my buddies from the Deep Space Discord universe as supporting characters because shameless self inserts are so much FUN

Quark’s was busy tonight - even more so than usual. It was amazing they’d managed to get a table, but Robertson tended to make sure they planned to arrive at any social engagement ten minutes early - and then arrive ten minutes earlier than that, in case they were late for being early. At any rate, they’d managed to nab a two-person table and between themself, Keiko, O’Brien and Julian, enough chairs to squash everybody in.

“All I’m saying,” said Robertson, “is that it’s fine to admit this is basically a double date. I mean, Miles has brought his work husband along,” they said, laughing as Miles’ cheeks flushed pink

“Oh and what, Keiko is your ‘work wife’?” spluttered Miles, jumping when Keiko put a hand on his arm.

“Darling, they’re teasing you,” said Keiko, “and it’s working. Why are you two so tense, anyway? We came out to have fun tonight!”

“I’m not tense!” said Miles, bristling at the thought. To demonstrate just now not-tense he was, he knocked back the rest of his whiskey, then looked expectantly at Julian. Julian seemed to be staring at a random point off in the distance, his long fingers drumming absently against the table.

“Hello? Julian? Anybody home there?” said Miles. 

No response. Miles reached out and grabbed his drink.

“If you don’t respond in three seconds, I’m going to drink this. Two. One-”

The drink was promptly snatched out of his hands by a passer-by; Susan, one of the tech crew. She drank it on her way to meeting up with her own work buddies, and squeezed into a booth down the back of the bar. Miles was left empty-handed and bewildered while Keiko and Robertson fought to keep their laughter under control. Julian continued to stare down at the table. 

“Hey,” said Robertson softly, “what’s going on?”

They reached out and touched Julian’s wrist lightly, as he seemed to have zoned out. He startled as they made contact, his eyelashes fluttering as he came back to reality from wherever it was he had been.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry - I just um. I was off in the clouds for a moment there.”

“Are you feeling alright Julian?” said Keiko, clearly concerned. He managed a weak smile.

“Nothing really - just a tiring day is all, I think. I’m enjoying the company though, just not much for talking right now, I guess.”

“Well that’s a first - ow!” Miles exclaimed as Keiko elbowed him viciously in the ribs. 

*

At lunchtime the next day, Julian’s mood hadn’t improved. He was with Garak in the replimat, making his way through a lasagne by carefully peeling off each individual layer and eating it. It required a lot of concentration.

“... don’t you think, doctor?”

“Hmm?”

Julian’s head jerked up, and he came face to face with Garak’s piercing gaze, which held a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“Oh! Uh… yes, I think s-so too,” said Julian, trying to keep the question out of his voice. Garak’s features morphed into a very slightly dangerous looking smile.

“In that case, I won’t repeat myself. And you, dear doctor, will never know what you just agreed to.”

Julian rolled his eyes, “alright, Garak.”

Garak’s eye ridges pulled down into a frown at that, and he leaned forwards as if to scrutinise his young friend a little more closely.

“Are you alright, my dear? You seem a little out of sorts today,”

Julian sighed, “why does everybody keep saying that?” he said, mostly to himself.

“Perhaps if everybody is saying that, there might actually be something wrong. Is something bothering you Doctor?”

A sharp retort built up in Julian’s throat, but he forced it back down again. It was nothing. It would be nothing. He was overreacting.

“Nothing’s bothering me Garak. I’m just… trying to focus on getting each of these lasagne sheets off in one piece.”

Garak huffed out a laugh at that.

“If you say so, Doctor.”

*

“Jadzia. I’ve got the results for those samples you requested,” said Julian. Jadzia nearly jumped out of her skin when he appeared at her side in ops.

“Julian! You scared the shit out of me! When did you get here?”

Julian placed the PADD down on the console in front of her and stepped back, oddly mechanically.

“I just arrived. With the results. For those samples.”

“I mean I can see that, but you’re usually so much more… you know.”

“What?” said Julian, perhaps a little more aggressively than he had intended. Jadzia turned fully to regard him with calculating eyes. She nodded, making a decision.

“What?” repeated Julian, before the breath was suddenly knocked out of him and he was lifted several centimetres into the air by a huge bear hug. He allowed himself to sag into the embrace, feeling Jadzia’s strong arms squeeze some of the anxiety out of his chest. Jadzia set him down, brushed off his shoulders, and nodded her head in the direction of Sisko’s office.

“Commander wanted to see you,” she said.

“Thanks,” said Julian, and then paused, allowing a small smile to creep onto his features.

“And thanks for the… you know,” he added.

“It’s no problem. You look like you needed it.”

*

“Broccoli?”

“Fine.”

“Sweet potato?”

“Great?”

“Peas?”

“Eugh… fine I guess”

“That didn’t sound fine.”

“Commander… I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but did you really bring me into your office to quiz me on vegetables?” said Julian, fidgeting nervously even as he stood at attention in front of Sisko’s desk. The man himself was seated, his fingers intertwined and a thoughtful look on his face.

“I just thought, given your aversion to beets you might have some other… vegetable based… sensitivities,” said Sisko. Julian shook his head.

“Nothing like that sir, I’m really not that picky an eater.”

“Wonderful!” said Sisko, “well in that case, I’ll see you tonight for dinner. You’re still bringing something too, right?”

“Oh! Yes, I suppose so,” said Julian, unable to conceal a wince. Luckily for him, Sisko was already distracted by the beeping of his comm badge.

“Robertson? Oh, you’ve finished reading? Thank you, what did you think of the first letter to the ambassadorial - what do you mean ‘lacking in tact?’ I spent a very long time on the, hold on - thank you Doctor Bashir, dismissed-”

*

“Lieutenant?”

“Hmm?”

Savannah looked over to see Jadzia Dax standing in the doorway to the tech department. She had her arms crossed, and was leaning against the door frame.

“Do you have time for a bit of a personal question? It’s about Doctor Bashir. I’m worried about him.”

Savannah took in Jadzia’s concerned expression, and thought about the fact that she hadn’t seen nor heard from Julian since yesterday morning. In fact, it was since-

“What exactly are you worried about?” said Savannah, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. She had a pretty good idea where this was going.

“Well Julian’s just been really off for the past day. Chief said he went all quiet last night, and today in ops he seemed… subdued. Sad. Like a kicked puppy really, it was awful.”

“It’s his sourdough starter.” said Savannah, and then burst out laughing, unable to control herself.

“His _what?_ ” said Jadzia, her eyes going wide.

“He wanted to - oh god, he wanted to bake some bread to bring to Commander Sisko’s dinner and h-he-” Savannah dissolved into giggles, unable to continue. It was contagious; as the reality of the situation dawned on Jadzia, she began to laugh too.

“H-he killed it - he was trying to starve it so that the flavours… would develop more” Savannah choked out in between gasps

“Oh nooo, oh the poor thing,” said Jadzia, wiping a tear from her eye, “oh god, he’s so upset about it”  
“Oh that’s awful, I thought he would have recovered from it by now,” said Savannah. In her mind, she formulated a very quick plan.

“I think I can do something about this though. If you help me out. We might have to liberate some ingredients.”

“I can certainly take care of that,” said Jadzia, a mischievous glint in her eye, “so what’s the plan?”

*

Dinner at Sisko’s was a busy affair tonight. The senior staff had all been invited, and Odo and Kira had seen fit to bring their other security staff along as well. After the incident with the voles, it was the least they felt they could do - Sisko included. It was indeed more of a potluck tonight, with an array of dishes that ranged in visual appeal (to the Terran eye) from extremely appetising to downright disgusting (although likely very tasty).

"What is that?" whispered Kira, pointing at the wraps Bond had brought along. 

"Garlic and rosemary roo steak wraps, with mixed greens, sour cream and sautéed onion," said Bond proudly. Kira's eyes widened slightly.

"Roo as in... Kangaroo? Isn't that on the coat of arms where you're from? Like a national-"

"Yup! So's the emu, and we eat those too."

Kira shuddered.

“Where is Doctor Bashir? And Jadzia!” said Sisko, waiting impatiently by the stack of plates he had set up. He had a ladle in one hand, and was still wearing a stained old apron. Somehow though, this made him look even more intimidating as he tapped his foot.

“Man, I’m starving. Doctor Bashir better be ready for a piece of my mind when he gets here,” muttered Bond. Lilianna absently nodded her assent, her gaze fixed on the small plate of Kira’s hasperat that just so happened to be sitting right in front of her.

The door opened with a hiss, and in half-stumbled Julian Bashir, Jadzia Dax and Lieutenant Savannah. All three of them were holding trays, their uniforms liberally dusted with flour, and there was a tell tale caramelly-looking smudge at the corner of Julian’s mouth that suggested part of their lateness was due to some overzealous taste testing.

“Doctor Bashir, I’m glad you finally made it.”

“Sorry we’re late!” said Julian breathlessly, a huge grin on his face. He held his tray aloft like a trophy.

“We made cookies!!” he exclaimed, his voice full of excitement.

“They’ve got caramel in them!” added Savannah

Sisko wasn’t trying very hard to hide the affectionate smile on his face but he still clapped his hands together with mock sternness.

“Well then, put them on the table, chop chop! You can have those for dessert _after_ you’ve eaten your dinner.”

Julian, Savannah and Jadzia exchanged a silent look that suggested they had already managed to break that particular rule, but then Sisko started handing out plates, Bond beelined for the roast, and Jadzia went to pour herself a drink. For an evening, all was well on Deep Space Nine. 

Julian placed a warm hand on Savannah’s shoulder and squeezed it gently.

“Thank you,” he whispered. 


End file.
